How the Wimbledon draw panned out for Britain’s tennis hopefuls
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The draw for Wimbledon has been announced, and one tie has really caught the attention of British tennis fans, with Andy Murray pitted again world number 234 Liam Broady in the first round.
Men’s singles
Liam Broady is one of the tournament’s real outsiders at 2000/1 to win Wimbledon, with Murray the 11/4 second-favourite. And this should be the ideal way for the Scot to warm up to face tougher opposition, with a potential fourth-round meeting with abrasive Australian Nick Kyrgios on the cards.
Broady did finish as runner-up in the 2014 Charlottesville Challenger, but that remains the pinnacle of the 22-year-old’s career so far, so it’s hard to see this being anything but a stroll for the 10-time Grand Slam finalist.
Those two men are five of the Britons involved in the men’s’ first round. Another is former Davis Cup winner Daniel Evans, who is the underdog against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.
Brydan Klein will be hoping he can improve on his first-round exit last time out, but faces an uphill battle against French veteran and world number 50 Nicolas Mahut. And a game against 2016 French Open quarter-finalist David Goffin is the daunting task awaiting world number 242 Alexander Ward.
Meanwhile, fellow Briton James Ward is likely to prove easy prey for Novak Djokovic, who looks to secure his third Wimbledon crown in a row – with the Serbian 8/11 to lift the trophy again.
Women’s singles
All eyes in the women’s game will be on Johanna Konta when the British number one faces Puerto Rican Monica Puig.
The Brit made it to round two last year, and should be too hot to handle for the 43-ranked Puig. And optimistic Konta fans can back the 25-year-old to become the first British women’s winner since Virginia Wade, at 40/1.
World number 16 Elina Svetolina is continuing to improve under the coaching of Justine Henin, and she’s the opponent for Liam’s elder sister, the big-serving Naomi Broady.
Meanwhile, Bristol-born 17-year-old Katie Swan faces 2012 Monterrey Open winner Timea Babos, in the biggest game of the teenager’s career so far.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
